Paris, France -- The first VW built off the upcoming Modular Electric Drive platform (MEB) is due to go on sale in 2020 with a range between 150 and 275 miles on our EPA. It is also expted to arrive with a price comparable to a 2020 standard Golf.

The I.D. Concept includes an “I.D. Pilot” automated driving mode that will be fully mature for production by 2025.

The new Tiguan introduced in Europe, the e-Golf and the I.D. concept point the way from the present to the future for the VW brand.

2020 VW I.D. BEV Concept Design

The exterior and interior design preview what the I.D. is expected to look like on the road within 4 years.

An electric car doesn’t need large cooling intakes, which changes front-end design. Interactive LED lights are framed by a C-shaped light signature, and react to other road users. The large, sculpted bumpers and “Anodized Blue” diffusers also give the I.D. a unique appearance. A transparent illuminated VW logo highlights the front end.

​

From the profile, the standout is a lack of B pillars. The front and rear doors form a protective unit when closed. The rear doors swivel backwards, showcasing the Open Space. Door mirrors have been replaced by cameras, which are integrated in the front fenders. An internal e-Mirror display combines data from three external cameras. The images are transmitted from the door mirror cameras on the left and right-hand sides of the car as well as a rearward facing camera. This does away with the mirrors improves the aerodynamics of the vehicle. The only button in the I.D., for the hazard warning lights, is to be found in the base of the mirror.

The profile is rounded off by white and blue 20” alloys w/ low-rolling resistance tires.

Out back the large rear window is framed by vertical aerodynamic fences and at the base by narrow horizontal LED tail lamps. The I.D.’s bumper looks like it was made from a single piece of aluminum. Right at the bottom of the car’s rear section is a blue diffuser, mirrored by the narrow strip of LED taillights that wrap around to the rear with the illuminated VW logo between.

The four-door I.D. is 161.4 inches long, 6 inches shorter than a Golf. This concept car is 70.9 inches wide and 60.2 inches high. The I.D. has a 108.3-inch wheelbase, which is 5 inches longer than the Golf, so the proportions are even more attractive.

The LED headlamps mimic the human eye by looking in the direction of the driver as he approaches the I.D.

On a parked I.D., all you can see is a narrow little strip of LEDs in the headlamps.

​

When the I.D. boots up, it greets its driver and the passengers with an all-new 360-degee light show: the transparent Volkswagen logos at the front and in the trunklid light up in white. This is then followed by blue lighting in the front bumper diffuser, the side sills and the rear diffuser. In the final stage of this light show, the I.D. opens its “eyes” and, last but not least, white light shines in the four door handles.

While the batteries are charging, the blue light panels on the diffusers and side sills pulsate while the headlamps remain in sleep mode.

While driving, the VW logos, LED DRLs and the LED headlamps are on. As the car accelerates, the “eyes” adjust to the higher speed by adopting a more dynamic light signature.

To signal that it is in fully automated mode (from 2025 forward), the laser scanners on the roof – Dr. Evil's "Sharks with laser beams attached to their heads" comes to mind – front and rear diffusers and the side sills are lit in blue.

The headlamp “eyes” are interactive in fully automated mode. If you want to turn left or right, the LED headlights look in the direction that the car is going to turn. Much like the adaptive lighting systems available today. If the I.D. notices people at the side of the road it looks at them. This very human form of interaction draws the attention of pedestrians and cyclists to the I.D.

The shutdown sequence begins with the DRLs deactivating and the door handles illuminating; then the blue lighting of the diffusers and side sills and the white light in the door handles go out. Finally, only the VW logos are illuminated. They stay on until the driver and passengers walk away from the car. Now the I.D. is in standby mode.

VWs “Think New” Electrification strategy is based on four areas of innovation:

Smart Sustainability VW is advancing the development of innovative high-volume electric cars

Automated Driving VW is going to make cars even safer and more comfortable thanks to automated driving

Intuitive Usability – VW has put its focus on vehicles that are intuitive to operate and feature new display and control concepts

Connected Community – VW will interconnect us, cars and the environment with a user identity

The I.D. is supposed to bring the best ride comfort, optimum volume, maximum safety and ground-breaking sustainability.

This is underlined by:

A longer wheelbase and short overhangs

A front structure that, allows a small turning circle of 32.5 ft.

Li-Ion integrated into the floor

A multi-link rear axle with an integrated drive unit and decoupled subframe

The Open Space concept is crated thanks to a rear-mounted electric motor and battery in the floor.

VW I.D. BEV Concept Drivetrain

The electric motor has a power output of 168 horsepower allowing the I.D. to reach 60 mph in under 8 seconds with a top speed of 99 mph.

The I.D. could be provided with different motor specs and battery capacities ala Tesla. This would allow the drive system to be modified to suit the owner’s individual needs. The I.D. will have a range of between 150 and 275 miles on a single charge.

The high-voltage battery used in the I.D. is located in the chassis. Power is transferred from the motor to the rear axle via a single-gear transmission. The motor, power electronics and transmission form one compact unit. The position of the battery has a positive effect as it gives the I.D. a very low center of gravity, like a racing car’s, and neutral handling. The I.D. weight distribution is almost perfectly balanced with 48/52 percent front to rear split.

The battery can be charged by cable or using an inductive charging interface in the front of the car. To charge by cable, a separate charging plug is needed to connect the car to an electrical outlet. For inductive charging, all the driver needs to do is park the I.D. over a charging plate, with a little help from the electronics to make sure it is in exactly the right position. Over and above that it will be possible to send the car to an inductive charging station, too. Thanks to the rapid charging system the battery is 80 percent charged in just 30 minutes.

​

Inside the VW I.D. BEV Concept

Approaching the white light in the surface of the door handles illuminates. If the person’s hand comes up close to the handle, the line of light pulsates and the handle extends from the body and the door can be opened. Similar to a proximity keyed handle with puddle lamps.

[The ID knows you as an individual in which the personal seating adjustments, A/C, type of ambient lighting plus contact details of the driver’s friends and business associates are saved. This enables the I.D. to recognize the owner and those authorized to drive by their smartphone via the Digital Key.

Volkswagen Home-Net will allow checking home based cameras from the car. If a family member has forgotten their key, all you need do is call and look into the camera, and I.D. sends the picture to the Active Info Display, so that the driver can open the front door using an app.

Passengers are in a mobile open space partly due to large windows and a panoramic sunroof. If the sun is too bright, the transparent roof can also be darkened electronically. There are four separate seats, with the headrests and seatbelts integrated into the backrest. Light grey satin fabric and a reduced seam underline the floating impression of the seats. The seats in the back can be folded up like cinema seats to save space, making room for large items such as folding bicycles or picture frames. Think of Honda’s magic seas or the pickup trucks we have driven recently.

The “dive down” function also allows the rear seats to be lowered to floor level, turning the trunk and rear seat area into a single large, flat cargo area.

The I.D. has up to 33.9 cubic feet of cargo volume. Between the left and right seats there is a utility box in the front and a folding center armrest in the back, both of which slide fore-and-aft and can be removed. A box for shopping can also be fitted in the front-seat passenger area.

The driver’s space is controlled with self-explanatory touch displays in the doors, capacitive keypads, and voice and gesture control.

The center of this car consists of an electrically adjustable and retractable multifunction steering wheel, a new Active Info Display, an electronic interior mirror (e-Mirror), an Augmented Reality (AR) and a Heads-up Display (HUD). Selection menus are also available to everyone in the car, thanks to the four individual door panels.

The middle of the steering wheel has an illuminated VW logo that the driver can switch from manual to fully automated (“I.D. Pilot”) mode. A three second push of the logo and the electrically adjustable steering wheel retracts. When the steering wheel reverts from fully automated to manual mode, an illuminated display appears in the rim of the steering wheel for a few seconds to indicate that it is changing mode. Aesthetics and functionality make the I.D.’s electrically adjustable and retractable multifunction steering wheel a highlight. The wheel has six rounded corners. Four more capacitive keys adapt to functions like taking a phone call, while two capacitive sliders allow the driver to scroll intuitively through functions like the playlist and the sound system.

The I.D. has a new HUD with projected virtual images appearing between 23 and 49 feet ahead of the car. The AR-Head-Up Display, the navigation instructions are part of driver’s three-dimensional surroundings.

A 10-inch Active Info Display shows information to the driver and can also be used to view a media library and navigation, or to control the multifunction steering wheel. The 10 inch screen can be turned into a 3D navigation screen. The display uses three transparent layers to display the various types of information. At the bottom, on the first layer there is the navigation map; the digital content retrieved using the Volkswagen ID is displayed on the second layer; and the third layer, at the top, is used to display driving data such as the car’s speed and range.

Information and controls that have previously only been available to the driver and sometimes front seat passenger are now available to the rear-seat passengers too, thanks to the new door panels. These white and partially transparent control islands are ergonomically mounted in the trim of the four doors, where they appear to be suspended in mid-air. The door panels can be used to control the air conditioning, the infotainment and navigation, the interior lighting, the electric windows and the central locking. The door panel can also receive phone calls. These functions are all controlled on a white touchscreen with black icons as well as a capacitive slider on the side, which is used to regulate the temperature and the HVAC fan speed. The information displayed on the door panel changes as soon as the door is opened or the driver switches to the fully automated “I.D. Pilot” mode. The driver can also restrict the range of functions of the other door panels so that children can’t open the doors while moving, for instance.

As soon as there is someone in the driver’s seat the steering wheel, which is retracted into the dashpad in parking mode, comes out and the multifunction displays light up simultaneously. Think of it like the Nissan IDS BEV Concept video I posted last year and you have the picture. At the same time, the I.D. triggers the Active Info Display and the AR Head-up Display. Ambient lighting and the Active Info Display greet the driver with a welcome routine. Close the doors, belt up, press the brake, select a driving mode and the I.D. is ready for off. The Start/Stop button is a thing of the past. “D” and “R“ are activated by gently pressing the corresponding button on the multifunction steering wheel, and the I.D. is switched off by pressing the “P” on the steering wheel, which causes the steering wheel to retract flush with the dashpad again.

​

VW I.D. BEV Concept Autonomous Driving

The driver can activate the fully automated “I.D. Pilot” mode just by touching the Volkswagen logo on the steering wheel. The electrically adjustable and retractable steering wheel disappears into the dashpad to form a single entity flush with the dashboard, boosting the lounge feel inside the car.

The driver presses the VW logo on the wheel for three seconds to switch from manual to autonomous mode. The I.D. indicates that it has changed modes with a range of optical signals: the ambient light changes from clear blue light, designed to focus while driving, to a relaxed ambience, with a selection of colors. During the transformation from manual to fully automated mode the light in the Volkswagen logo on the steering wheel pulsates, too. The light distribution of the ambient lighting expands to illuminate the back, and the I.D. signals via the Active Info Display and the AR-Head-up display that it is ready to take control. As soon as the driver takes their hands and feet away from the controls the steering wheel retracts into the dashpad and the fully automated “I.D. Pilot” mode is active.

In fully automated driving mode the four roof-mounted laser scanners are active. They protrude from the roof of the I.D. in “I.D. Pilot” mode, but are also visible thanks to indirect blue lighting indicating that the I.D. is in fully automated mode. The I.D. is capable of detecting other road users not only using its laser sensors, but also with ultrasonic sensors, radar sensors, side area view cameras and a front camera. Traffic data is also constantly collected and compared with the vehicle data via the cloud.

Fully automated mode is deactivated by pressing the brake or accelerator pedals. The I.D. indicates that the driver has to take control again by changing the color and distribution of the ambient lighting, pulsing the light in the Volkswagen steering wheel logo on the steering wheel, and posting alerts on the Active Info Display and the AR-Head-up Display. The steering wheel then comes out of the dashpad again, reactivating manual driving mode. Visual clues include the illumination of the accelerator and brake pedals and a light pattern in the steering wheel.

There is a delay between brake and accelerator pedal application and the wheel reappearing from the dashpad.

The color scheme and mood of the ambient lighting change along with the manual and fully automated mode. The door panels, the areas under the seats, the seat surfaces and the lower section of the instrument panel are indirectly lit. The ambient lighting also floods into the cabin through a kind of woven mesh that extends between the A-pillars parallel to the windscreen and around the instrument panel. Form and function blend into one here: if a pedestrian appears beside or in front of the I.D., for example, a warning for the driver is projected on the illuminated mesh.

The I.D. doesn’t only drive itself or be driven. It can find a space in a parking structure, all of its own. All the driver has to do is stop the I.D. in a specially marked zone in the entrance to a structure that has the necessary infrastructure and activate the “Pilot for multi-story parking garage” using the VW app. The fully automated “I.D. Pilot” mode will be able to detect other cars and pedestrians. To ask the I.D. to leave the parking space again, all the driver has to do is tell the Volkswagen to return to its starting zone again via the app.

​

VW I.D. BEV Concept early thoughts

It is a concept after all and you can say just about anything you want about it as such. A high end trim – read very expensive trim – could be equipped with all of the “new stuff” but in reality, expect about half the stuff on an affordable Golf based I.D. price.

Like all BEVs, the I.D. appears to arrive with a similar problem. Unless a new battery technology is released shortly, the huge charge time hindrance will still harm overall sales due to the inconvenience.

And finally, the most advanced hardware and software is prepping to change the automotive landscape and VW has now made their intentions known.

Thanks for all the detail, Wayne. I wish they had done this a few years ago, and that it wouldn't have taken the diesel debacle to get them to be serious about EV's. But I am very glad they are serious - the basic car we see here is actually very buildable and realistic. They seem to have taken a page from what Nissan did with their IDS Concept.

Questions:
Does it have a direct heating windshield defroster? If so, is it using a very thin (molecule?) layer of silver inside the glass? How much energy does it consume?
Is the steering wheel heated? As an option, or standard?
Does it have a heat pump? If so, is it using the motor and electronics?
Is there a light inside the charging port? Does the plug lock all the time, or are there options on how / when it locks?
What are the quick charging speeds, for the 3 battery pack capacities?
Are all the lights LED's? Do the headlights adjust for level?
Does it coast by default (I hope)? What regen modes does it have? Does it have adaptive creep?
Does it adjust the passenger side mirror in tandem with the driver side mirror?
Are the front seats height adjustable?
Are the front and /or rear seats heated?
What is the audio system - how many speaker drivers, and what inputs does it have? How does it sound?
What is the turning circle diameter?
What are the wheel and tire sizes?
Can it have a hitch? What is it rated for?

Questions:
Does it have a direct heating windshield defroster? If so, is it using a very thin (molecule?) layer of silver inside the glass? How much energy does it consume?
Is the steering wheel heated? As an option, or standard?
Does it have a heat pump? If so, is it using the motor and electronics?
Is there a light inside the charging port? Does the plug lock all the time, or are there options on how / when it locks?
What are the quick charging speeds, for the 3 battery pack capacities?
Are all the lights LED's? Do the headlights adjust for level?
Does it coast by default (I hope)? What regen modes does it have? Does it have adaptive creep?
Does it adjust the passenger side mirror in tandem with the driver side mirror?
Are the front seats height adjustable?
Are the front and /or rear seats heated?
What is the audio system - how many speaker drivers, and what inputs does it have? How does it sound?
What is the turning circle diameter?
What are the wheel and tire sizes?
Can it have a hitch? What is it rated for?

All good questions , Neil. My 1st three questions for VW are when , how much $ , how much range.
The Euro model is to offer lots of engine choices in ICE cars , so I imagine we'll be able to choose between
at least two battery sizes.

All good questions , Neil. My 1st three questions for VW are when , how much $ , how much range.
The Euro model is to offer lots of engine choices in ICE cars , so I imagine we'll be able to choose between
at least two battery sizes.

Click to expand...

The 1st edition will be delivered in the spring of 2020, and we don't have hard prices, yet. The 1st edition will have the 58kWh pack (see below). The 45kWh pack is supposed to be about 30K Euros.

Some video stated that Volkswagen will eventually need one trillion batteries for their battery packs, if they hope to switch most of their ICE vehicles over to EVs. By that time, maybe Tesla will have workable Ultra-capacitors for their EVs. Then VW will contract for Tesla batteries, produced at their Giga-factory. Tesla will need some help to continue their Giga-factory. Maybe, the Giga-factory will be expanded to produce Ultra-capacitors, too. Busy businesses.